Phata Poster Nikhla Hero
Year: 2013
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Padmini Kolhapure, Saurabh Shukla, Darshan Jariwala

When Sachin Tendulkar decides to endorse a film on his Facebook page, you naturally become curious. Rajkumar Santoshi making a comedy after a hiatus of 4 years after a super-successful Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani is obviously the other important reason for generation of curiosity. Is Phata Poster Nikhla Hero worth all that?

What’s the plot?

A mother (Padmini Kolhapure) who has single-handedly raised her only son (Shahid Kapoor) is determined to make him a cop- an honest, upright one at that! The son instead harbors the dreams of becoming a Bollywood hero. While he is wearing the cop’s get-up, a social activist girl (Ileana D’Cruz) takes him for a real police inspector and makes him take on the goons. Suddenly he is now on the radar of the local mafia, led by a wacky don (Saurabh Shukla). His exploits even make his mother believe that he has finally become a cop as per her wish. As he struggles to maintain this deception while blancing his acting career, there are challenges aplenty, including a dreaded crime boss who is out to spread terror in the city. How will this fake cop take on these challenges?

What’s hot?

·         If you enjoy Santoshi’s brand of silly (and by now pretty formulaic) humor, then the first half is fun.

·         Two veterans, Saurabh Shukla and Darshan Jariwala, manage to raise a few laughs with their antics.

·         There are some catchy songs with well-choreographed dance sequences.

What’s not?

·         The second half is tortuous and torturous.

·         Shahid Kapoor tries too hard to make you laugh but he succeeds only occasionally.

·         Ileana D’Cruz looks like a fish out of water in comic scenes. Quite a comedown after her impressive Barfi-performance!

·         Santoshi’s story, dialogue and direction- everything seems outdated and even rank amateurish at times.

·         Plenty of over-the-top performances and scenes.

Verdict

Rajkumar Santoshi’s halcyon Andaz Apna Apna days are long over. He just seems to be rehashing the comic ideas, which once succeeded but which now have run their course and fail to tickle the funny bone. Shahid Kapoor, too is in the midst of a career slump. Together they try hard to come up with a zany comic caper but instead just succeed in dishing out a lukewarm fare.

Rating

2 stars